Method of barrel loading



April 1965 H. o. HAUSERMANN 3,176,864

METHOD OF BARREL LOADING Original Filed Nov. 13, 1959 INVENTOR 3i) HENRY o. HAUSERMANN A6 ag; 7W

ATTORNEY United rates ice 3,176,864 METHOD OF BARREL LGADHIG Henry 0. Hauserrnann, Portland, reg., assignor to Blitz Weinhard (30., a corporation of Oregon Original application Nov. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 852,887, new

Patent No. 3,105,599, dated Oct. 1, 1963. Divided and this application May 10, 1963, See. No. 279,556

2 Claims. (Cl. 214152) This application is a division of an application filed November 13, 1959, having Serial No. 852,887, now Patent No. 3,105,599, entitled, Barrel Loading.

This invention relates to the handling of barrels, and more particularly to a novel method facilitating the stacking of barrels in vertically spaced tier-s, and subsequent transport of these barrels from one location to another. The invention has particular utility in connection with the handling of beer barrels which because of their size and weight are difiicult to move other than by rollin them, and are difiicult to shift from a horizontal to an on-end ..--=position. The invention thus is discussed in connection with beer kegs or barrels, but it should be understood that the invention is applicable to the handling of related objects, where similar problems of moving and storage exist.

In the past it has been customary to stand beer kegs on end, during storage or during their transport in a vehicle. Kegs are usually rolled to the vicinity of their final stacked position, and this requires manhandling of the kegs to place them on end. The on-end position of a keg is not a stable one. Plural kegs arranged on end and in vertically spaced tiers are susceptible to inadvertently being dislodged, as a corner barrel or keg is easily kicked out of place with the result that a large quantity of barrels falls to the ground. Thus, this type of stacking has not been used when the barrels are transported in vehicles, and barrels are either stored in one level only, or if stored in two levels, have been supported on distinct platforms.

This invention features a method of loading and stacking barrels, where the barrels are rolled on their sides from a loading surface in a loading station directly onto the fiat top-surface of a pallet. The barrels may then be distributed on the pallet, by rolling them while on their sides into different positions. According to this invention, the barrels are then cradled at their different positions on the pallet, with the barrels still on their sides, and because of the cradling held from side-to-side movement. As a further feature, this invention then contemplates lowering the pallet and the barrels loaded thereon, as by using an elevator, and the placing of the separator or slip sheet over the top of the just loaded barrels, with such separator having a top surface which is placed in a position substantially flush with the loading surface in the loading station. Further barrels may then be rolled onto the top of the separator, and cradled at different locations thereon, in substantially the same way that barrels were first loaded on the pallet. The operation may be repeated, to produce several tiers of barrels stacked one on top of another.

A pallet so loaded may then be shifted from one place to another, with the barrels in a stable position thereon. When unloading the pallet, the reverse of the operation described in connection with the loading of the pallet is performed, ie they are rolled out of position and off of the pallet and separator with the latter placed ilush with an unloading surface.

According to this invention, the pallet used may take the form of an expansive, substantially flantopped panel, with supports underneath it holding it above the ground. The panel is substantially flat, to accommodate easy roiling of a beer barrel thereover. The panel may be supported above the ground by blocks, positioned to enable the forks of a forklift tractor or similar lifting device to be inserted under the panel from any side. The top of the panel may be provided with means defining plural seating recesses, in a specific embodiment cutouts distributed over the panel, that receive the bottom sides of beer barrels with the barrels in a horizontal position. While cutouts are preferred, other structure may be used in the panel to provide a cradling means on top of the panel.

The seating recesses described, when such comprise cutouts in the panel, are small enough to hold barrels so that their bottom sides do not protrude below the bottom of the panel. Thus, barrels nested on the pallet are not subjected to being struck or otherwise engaged by the forks of a forklift truck, when the same are inserted beneath the panel.

The separators or slip sheets used to stack upper tiers of barrels also may take the form of panels having seating recesses therein. Where cutouts are provided as the seating recesses, the bottom of each cutout is used to seat the top side of a lower barrel, and the top of each cutout is used to seat the bottom side of an upper barrel. The cutouts are of such a size that the upper and lower barrels are kept out of contact with each other. The barrels of an upper tier usually are aligned with the barrels of a lower tier.

Thus, a general object of the invention is to provide an improved method for loading barrels on a pallet.

An object related to the above is to provide an improved method for stacking barrels in plural tiers, where the barrels are readily placed in proper position, and once positioned are completely stable.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a method for stacking barrels on a pallet, which relies upon the rolling of the barrels into place on the pallet, distributing the barrels at different locations on the top of the pallet by rolling them to these locations, and then cradling the barrels in their distributed positions.

A further object is to provide a method, which makes possible the stacking of barrels in plural tiers, using the rolling method described herein above.

These and other objects and advantages are attained by the invention, which is described herein below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an end view of a pallet loaded with three vertically spaced tiers of barrels, with the barrels on their sides, and with the bottom tier supported on a pallet, and adjacent tier-s separated by a slip sheet or separator, as contemplated herein;

FIG. 2 is a view along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1, illustrating the profile of a slip sheet such as may be used in the method of the invention;

FIG. 3 is view along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1, illustrating the profile of a pallet such as may be used in the method of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a pallet supporting a tier of barrels, and illustrating how the pallet may be picked up from one of its sides by the forks of a forklift tractor; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a loading station, such as may be used according to the method of the invention, such loading station including an elevator adapted to support a pallet, which may be actuated to lower a pallet placed thereon, to place the top of the pallet flush with a loading surface upon which barrels are rolled up to the loading station.

Referring now to the drawings, at 10 there is indicated a pallet, adapted to rest on the door, and used to support the bottom tier of a stack of barrels. The pallet comprises a flat-topped panel 12, which in the embodiment illustrated is substantially rectangular in outline. The panel may be made of various materials having the necessary strength and rigidity. As a practical matter, a plywood panel has been found entirely satisfactory.

, cutouts.

loading barrels from a slip, sheet.

Blocks 16 are secured to the bottom of the panel, that hold the panel above floor level. Slats or boards 29 are secured to the undersides of these blocks. The construction described accommodates the insertion of'the forks of a forklift truck under the panel, from any of its four sides.

Seating means or recesses are provided which are distributed over the top of the panel; In the embodiment illustrated, these comprise cutouts 26 in panel 12. The cutouts are in substantial alignment, in directions extending transversely and longitudinally thereof. The cutouts receive central portions of the bottom sides of barrels, with the barrels horizontal and aligned. with the cutouts.

Barrels such as may be stacked using the pallet of the invention are indicated at 30. The form of the barrel shown is typical of the type of barrel presently used in the distribution of beer. Thus, the barrels have ends 32, 34 which are tapered, and of smaller diameter than a central band portion, or belly band, 36. The belly band 36 of a barrel is bounded on either side by flanges 36a, 36b, which are part of the belly band (the outer edges thereof) and which give a substantially cylindrical overall outline to the belly band.

When a barrel is nested in a cutout, the bottom of its belly band lodges in the cutout, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The belly band has a Width which is less than the length of the cutout. Edges 37 defining the sides of a cutout are spaced close enough together to hold a barrel with the bottom thereof above the bottom of panel 12.

According to this invention panels may be stacked in tiers as shown in FIG. 1. Between adjacent tiers of barrels, and holding an upper tier on a lower tier, is what is referred to herein as a slip sheet, or separator, indicated generally at 45.

Each slip sheet comprises a panel, having a substantially rectangular outline. The outline of the panel in a slip sheet is somewhat smaller than the outline of panel 12 in a pallet. This prevents the slip sheets from coming into contact with each other when the pallets are stacked side by side. The panel'of a slip sheet may be made of plywood, or other material of suitable strength.

Formed in the panel making up the slip sheet are elongated -and rectangular cutouts 48, similar to cutouts 26 described for panel 12. Cutouts 48 have the same spacing with relation to each other as do cutouts 26, and their size generally corresponds to the size of cutouts 26.

Before stacking barrels on a slip sheet, the sheet is placed on top of a tier of barrels loaded on a pallet as described, with top portions of the belly bands of the barrels protruding upwardly into the bottoms of the An upper tier of barrels placed on top of the slip sheet nests on the slip sheet, with bottom portions of the belly bands of the barrels in the tier protruding downwardly into the tops of the cutouts. Edges 49 defining the sides of cutouts 48 are spaced close enough together to keep the barrels of the upper tier out of contact with the barrels of the lower tier. Thus, each barrel belly band at the most should protrude not more than half way into the panel of the slip sheet.

Notches 50 are indented into the side edges of the slip sheet. The notches are important in loading and unln unloading, for example, when the first barrel is rolled off the slip sheet the remaining barrels resting on the slip sheet hold the slip sheet down and in place. In the case of the'last barrel to be rolled off the slip sheet, however, there is nothing weighting the slip sheet down, and when the barrel is rolled off one side edge of the slip sheet the weight of the barrel tends to lift the opposite side edge of the slip sheet into the air. happening, the notches are included, which enable a barrel to be rolled oil the slip sheet with the barrel leaving the slip sheet at a point spaced inwardly from theme- To prevent this from I l tangular outline thereof, and near the line of support provided the sheet by the lower tier of barrels.

The pallet and slip sheets are more fully described in the prior filed application referred to above.

According to this invention, barrels are stacked in tiers on the pallet and using the slip sheets, employing a loading station such as'loading station 58 illustrated in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 5, at 56 there is indicated a delivery surface for the loading station, which is flat, and which accommodates the rolling of a barrel thereover. Directly adjacent surface 56 is an elevator 60, moved up and down by means of vertically shiftable shaft 62. By shifting the elevator up and down, the top of the elevator is adjusted to various positions relative to surface 56.

In loading a stack of barrels on a pallet according to this invention, a pallet is placed on elevator 60, and the elevator adjusted downwardly (using control boX 64) until the top surface of the panel in the pallet is substantially flush with delivery surface 56. With the top surface in this position, barrels are readily rolled on their sides onto the pallet, from off of surface 56, and thence rolled on their sides over the top of the pallet,

to diiferent locations distributed thereon. Thus, rolling,-.

of the barrels is utilized to distribute the barrels on top of the pallet.

Barrels are rolled into place in their final resting position on the pallet by rolling them into the cutouts described with the barrels dropping into the cutouts. A barrel on dropping into a cutout is cradled by the side edges of the cutout. Thus cradling of the barrels, whereby they are held from side-to-side movement, is done with a minimum amount of manhandling of the barrels, and entirely through the act of rolling the barrel.

After the pallet has been fully loaded with barrels (four barrels in the embodiment of the invention illustrated), the elevator is lowered, until the top of a slip sheet or separator placed on top of the tier of barrels on the pallet is substantially flush with delivery surface 56. With the top of the slip sheet in this position, the cutouts in the slip sheets may then be filled with the barrels of an upper tier, by rolling these barrels over the top of the slip sheet and into their appropriate positions, in substantially the same manner as the pallet was loaded. With the slip sheet loaded with the barrels of an upper tier, the elevator may be lowered again, another separator or slip sheet may be placed on top of the just loaded tier of barrels, and the process repeated. The process may be repeated as many times as necessary to produce the number of tiers of barrels desired.

On completion of the loading process, the elevator is raised to lift pallet 12 above floor level, indicated at 66. In this position, the forks of a forklift tractor may be inserted underneath panel 12, and these forks may be used to lift the floor and then transport the pallet to another location.

It will be seen that the method contemplated comprises essentially rolling the barrels into position, from the delivery surface of the loading station, into the appropriate recesses that hold the barrels on the pallets and slip sheets. Loading and unloading are done with equal facility, and with a minimum amount of time. With the pallets loaded the barrels are completely stable A specific construction has been described for the pallet, slipsheets, the elevator, etc. ()bviously, modifications may be made therein, without departing from the invention. Thus, pallets and slip sheets of different shapes and having different forms of recesses defined over the top and bottom thereove r may be used, so long as the rolling process described may be performed.

When it comes to unloading a pallet or slip sheet, the fact that barrels with belly bands are used, that fit on a panel with only their belly bands protruding into a cutout, is important. In a loaded pallet (and slip sheet),

flat expanses of the panel that forms the pallet or slip sheet extend under the ends of the barrels. This facilitates unloading of a barrel, as such may be done by pushing down on an end of the barrel, to place this end in contact with the panel and at the same time lift the belly band of the barrel out of the cutout that formerly received it. The barrel is then easily rolled clear of the cutout.

It is desired to cover all modifications and variations of the herein disclosed invention that would be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that come within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A method of stacking barrels in vertically spaced tiers with plural barrels in each tier thus to prepare them for transport, said method using allets for supporting a bottom tier of barrels and slip sheets for separating adjacent tiers, said pallets and slip sheets having substantially flat top surfaces and seating means for nesting barrels thereon, said method comprising rolling the barrels on their sides over a flat support surface to a loading station, supporting a pallet with the top surface thereof at a level wherein it is substantially flush with said support surface, rolling sufiicient barrels onto the pallet to fill the seating means provided the pallet rolling the barrels directly on the surface of the pallet into nesting position in the seating means, superimposing a slip sheet over the just laid tier of barrels, by contact only with the barrels in the just laid tier of barrels anchoring the slip sheet to the barrels, lowering the pallet and tier of barrels to a level wherein the top of the slip sheet is substantially flush with the support surface, rolling suflicient barrels onto the slip sheet to fill the seating means provided the sheet, rolling the barrels directly on the surface of the slip sheet to nest the barrels in said seating means,

and lifting the pallet, barrels, and slip sheet to a level enabling their pickup by means inserted under the pallet.

2. A method of stacking barrels in vertically spaced tiers with plural barrels in each tier thus to prepare them for transport, said method using pallets for supporting a bottom tier of barrels and slip sheets for separating adjacent tiers, said pallets and slip sheets having smooth top surfaces and seating means indented therein for nesting the barrels, said method comprising rolling barrels to form a first tier of barrels onto the pallet with the top of'the pallet held at floor level, rolling the barrels 0n the top surface of the pallet into nesting position in said seating means, lowering the pallet and barrels and placing a slip sheet thereover thus to bring the top of the slip sheet to floor level, by contact only with the barrels in the just laid tier of barrels anchoring the slip sheet to the barrels, rolling barrels to form a subsequent tier of barrels onto the slip sheet, rolling the barrels on the top surface of the slip sheet into nesting position in its said seating means, and subsequently raising the pallet, slip sheet, and barrels to place the entire load above floor level thus to permit a pickup device to he slipped under the HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF STACKING BARRELS IN VERTICALLY SPACED TIERS WITH PLURAL BARRELS IN EACH TIER THUS TO PREPARE THEM FOR TRANSPORT, SAID METHOD USING PALLETS FOR SUPPORTING A BOTTOM TIER OF BARRELS AND SLIP SHEETS FOR SEPARATING ADJACENT TIERS, SAID PALLETS AND SLIP SHEETS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT TOP SURFACES AND SEATING MEANS FOR NESTING BARRELS THEREON, SAID METHOD COMPRISING ROLLING THE BARRELS ON THEIR SIDES OVER A FLAT SUPPORT SURFACE TO A LOADING STATION, SUPPORTING A PALLET WITH THE TOP SURFACE THEREOF AT A LEVEL WHEREIN IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH SAID SUPPORT SURFACE, ROLLING SUFFICIENT BARRELS ONTO THE PALLET TO FILL THE SEATING MEANS PROVIDED THE PALLET ROLLING THE BARRELS DIRECTLY ON THE SURFACE OF THE PALLET INTO NESTING POSITION IN THE SEATING MEANS, SUPERIMPOSING A SLIP SHEET OVER THE JUST LAID TIER OF BARRELS, BY CONTACT ONLY WITH THE BARRELS IN THE JUST LAID TIER OF BARRELS ANCHORING THE SLIP SHEET TO THE BARRELS, LOWERING THE PALLET AND TIER OF BARRELS TO A LEVEL WHEREIN THE TOP OF THE SLIP SHEET IS SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE SUPPORT SURFACE, ROLLING SUFFICIENT BARRELS ONTO THE SLIP SHEET TO FILL THE SEATING MEANS PROVIDED THE SHEET, ROLLING THE BARRELS DIRECTLY ON THE SURFACE OF THE SLIP SHEET TO NEST THE BARRELS IN SAID SEATING MEANS, AND LIFTING THE PALLET BARRELS, AND SLIP SHEET TO A LEVEL ENABLING THEIR PICKUP BY MEANS INSERTED UNDER THE PALLET. 